Page 5 of Hoax and Kisses
“My retirement plan strategy. Devon sent it to me today. I have to approve it.” He raises one eyebrow. “Which is why I wanted you to stop by. We need to talk.”
The words grip me like a hand at the throat.
I’m no stranger to the look he’s giving me.Are you finally ready?Can I pass you the torch?
We’ve been doing the same dance for a few years now, and each time he’s broached the subject of his retirement, I’ve backed away, insisting I need a couple more months. Those months have turned into years, and here we are again.
He’s tired. It’s etched in every line on his face. He’s been a hungry businessman his whole life, but the spark that kept him going has been missing for a few years now.
Knowing he’s still hanging on to the job because of me makes my stomach twist.
But am I ready? I want to be. I think. I’ve been the head of our business development team for years. Carrying the weight of the entire company onmyshoulders, though? That’s a terrifying thought. Taking up the mantle is a big commitment.
“I know I promised you the job,” he says, the words startling me. “But things have changed. Evolved, if you will. Some shareholders have voiced their… doubts.” His brows are crunched low, a hint of pity threading through his expression.
I frown, taken aback. “Doubts? Doubts about what?”
An awkward silence stretches between us. It’s strange, Dad sitting through it like this. He rarely tolerates hesitation.
“Your reluctance to take my place has been heavily noted, princess,” he finally says, his tone flat. “You know the business well—you’re my daughter, after all. But sharing my DNA isn’t enough. You can’t lead a hotel group as large as Imperial Excellence if you don’t want it. If you’re not hungry for it.” He taps his fingers against his belly. “Some shareholders aren’tconvinced you still do. At the last board meeting, they decided to start looking for an outside hire.”
An outside—
“You’d never let them do that,” I say, my pulse picking up.
Dad shrugs. “I’ve put it off as long as I could, but it’s out of my control now. Of course, you can imagine how disappointed I’d be if my legacy were to be thrown away because you couldn’t muster the courage to show them that you want to take over. All these years I’ve spent building this company for it to go to someone else?” He shakes his head, his shoulders deflating. “What a shame.”
I swallow hard, my cheeks flaming. I can’t let my dad down. Can’t give him more reasons to second-guess me. To be ashamed of his own daughter.
He knows exactly what to say to make me forget my fears and doubts. I should hate him for it, but instead, my competitive side takes over, thoughts whirling in my mind.
Do Ireallywant this? I don’t know, and maybe that’s why I’ve been pushing this discussion for so long. But who cares? An entire group of balding shithead men—the kind who send emails with the whole text in the subject line—think I’m not fit for the job. That alone is enough to make me crave it. Even if every bone in my body is telling me to slow down. To consider. To think.
I can’t. There’s no time. My back is against the wall.
I’m about to respond when the image on the screen snags my attention. It’s a documentary on the Wild Planet channel. A woman talks to the camera like she’s sharing the most exciting secret with her best friend, and in a matter of seconds, I’m completely drawn in. She’s surrounded by gigantic pine trees, standing next to a river while rain pours, soaking her hiking gear and her shoulder-length auburn hair. She’s drenched, but the elements don’t deter her in the slightest. Her eyes are bright, her voice steady, as if the storm only makes her more alive.
In the background, two white bears, what looks to be a mom and a cub, stand in the water, catching their dinner.
Tuning out the topic my dad broached, I grab the remote and turn the volume up.
“I’ve been doing this for a while now, and let me tell you, nothing comes close to the beauty of this place. There aren’t a lot of rainforests left on earth, so to explore the one in British Columbia is a privilege. We must protect it at all costs. An entire wildlife ecosystem relies on us to make things right. The spirit bears you see behind me are some of the rarest creatures on this planet. And for the next two hours, I’ll take you on a journey to meet them.”
She goes on about the history of the forest and the native communities still predominantly inhabiting the lands. It’s enthralling enough that I’mthis closeto packing my bags and driving there. And that’s saying a lot, since I’ve never worn hiking boots in my life, let alone spent more than a single day surrounded by trees and wild animals.
“This place is beautiful,” I say, lost in my thoughts.
My dad grunts, pulling me from my stupor.
Frowning, I drag my attention away from the screen. “What?”
He zeroes in on the woman on the TV, his lips turning up in a sneer. “I know her. She’s the bitch who tanked the deal in Pine Falls.”
Whoa, there.I bite back a grimace. Dad has been skipping the annual HR seminars his employees are required to attend, and it shows. “A bitch, huh? Because she disagreed with you?” Itsk. “Which deal?”
“Two years ago,” he huffs in his usual way. His vocabulary consists mainly of grunts, mumbled words, and wildly inappropriate cursing. “When I was trying to close on a project north of Vancouver. Lakeside Resort planned to open a complexthere. The area attracts a large number of tourists due to its location. We were set to make big bucks. I had the mayor so deep in my pocket he was tickling my balls. But the deal got tanked.” He points to the TV, spitting his next words. “And she’s the one who convinced the mayor to cancel it. Cost me millions. Pissed off shareholders and investors for months.”
I cringe, sitting a little straighter. “Oh, I remember this. I didn’t know it was such a big loss for you, though. What did she do to get the mayor to side with her?”
